Love-Lines by Sheri Langer

4 Stars

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC

Date of publication: February 26th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Love-Lines (will contain affiliate links): Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

What if you could find the love of your life just by reading between the lines?

Single mom Fordham Price is juggling her job at a small publisher, her precocious ten-year-old daughter, and her feisty mother. She wants to find time for men, but after a series of dating disasters, her relationship status is still stuck at single.

As if her macchiato lite wasn’t already overflowing, a co-worker gets pregnant, and Fordham is expected to step in and deliver the company’s latest reality read from the Flowers from the Heart series. She must now supplement her own romantic misadventures with tales of cynical cat-ladies, identical-twin husbands, spunky monks, and countless other web-crawlers.

As she wades through the submissions, she finds one from a widower whose story gives her tingles in all the places she forgot existed. His words draw her in until she finds herself daydreaming about him more than she’d care to admit.

Could she have a love like that, or will her romantic fate be forever bound to her philandering ex-husband?

My review:

I will admit, when I read the blurb for Love-Lines, I wasn’t that impressed with it. I thought that this book was going to be one of those silly rom-com type of romances. I thought that I was going to read a book that had little substance. Don’t get me wrong, I like those types of books. But I also like books with a little more meat. So, I was surprised when I started reading Love-Lines and it wasn’t all fluff. There was meat to it!!

I wasn’t expecting to connect with Fordham the way I did. I didn’t know what I was expecting with Fordham’s character. Having her as a frazzled working mother who’s experiences in dating was normal made me love her. She was realistic. She was snarky. I loved her!!

While Fordham was great, it was the secondary characters that made this book sing. Whitty, her 10-year-old, was the epitome of every 10-year old that I have met. Her mother was sweet and sassy. Plus she was supportive of Fordham. I will admit that I didn’t like Aaron. I loved David. There were so many other gems in this book, it was hard to keep track of them.

I liked the main storylines of Love-Lines. The author did a fantastic job of keeping them separate until the middle of the book. Then she was able to merge them. I loved it. I do wish that I got more insight into what an editor does. I got a good feel for it here but I do wish a little more depth was given. I also felt that the way Fordham got the job was not that great.

What I enjoyed the most about this book was that it made me laugh. I had several laugh out loud moments while reading. Mainly centered around Fordham’s dating life. Her date with the much younger man cracked me up. As did her observances afterward.

I liked the romances that Fordham found herself in. I will admit, I didn’t like Aaron. He came across as too smarmy. Plus, the way he treated Whitty wasn’t right. David was perfect. Of course, there were some misconceptions that lasted until the end of the book. Even then, he was awesome about clearing them up!!

Speaking about the end of the book, I loved it!! I had a huge grin after reading it. Let’s say that things ended perfectly for Fordham!!

I would give Love-Lines an Adult rating. There are mild sex scenes (like so mild I didn’t know that they were having sex). There is no violence. There is mild language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Love-Lines. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review Love-Lines.

All opinions stated in this review of Love Lines are mine

Have you read Love-Lines?

Do you like it when a book surprises you?

Let me know!!

My Favorite Cowboy (Heart of Texas: Book 3) by Donna Grant

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: February 26th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Heart of Texas

The Christmas Cowboy Hero—book 1

Cowboy, Cross My Heart—book 2 (review here)

My Favorite Cowboy—book 3

Where to find My Favorite Cowboy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Hot cowboy heroes in Texas abound in the third book of the Heart of Texas series by New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant.

New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant rounds up the hottest cowboys in Texas in her latest novel of no-holds-barred passion.

Audrey Martinez is a veterinarian who has devoted her whole life to the care and protection of horses—even if doing so leaves her little time for meeting a man. Who would have thought that a strange case of criminal horseplay would lead her to falling deeply, wildly in love? If only the man who makes her heart race faster than a wild mustang would let his guard down, that is. . .

Caleb Harper is no ordinary cowboy. Sure, he wears his hat, boots, and jeans like a second skin, and displays an easygoing charm that comes from years of working on the ranch. But with his military background, and Army buddies at his side, he is tried-and-true Texas tough. Audrey knows she can trust a man like Caleb to help her save horses. But can Caleb trust himself to resist his attraction to Audrey—or will the sparks of their desire end up getting them burned?

My review:

I have mentioned in other reviews that I love reading contemporary western romances. Something about cowboys makes me weak in the knees. They are my not so guilty pleasure. It was a no brainer that I was going to read and review My Favorite Cowboy when I was approached by the publisher.

I liked Audrey. She was a no-nonsense large equine veterinarian who genuinely cared about the animals. She worked for two large ranches and also helped a horse rescue out, free of charge. Her passion and love for horses were palpable. I loved that she was Hispanic. I have read very few books where Hispanic’s are the main female romantic lead. I thought it was wonderful and refreshing.

Caleb had some serious abandonment issues. He was the last person to see his mother before she took off. He asked her not to leave and she left. Her leaving affected everyone but Caleb was affected the most. That left some deep-rooted issues that manifested in Caleb having trust issues. He also couldn’t invest himself in relationships. I did like Caleb. Besides his issues, he was a great guy. It was interesting watching him fight himself as he was falling in love with Audrey. Interesting and sad.

The main plotline was excellent. It went from who was making the horses sick to who had a personal vendetta against Audrey. Usually, I guess who the person was early on in the book. But, in this case, I was kept on my toes. I was surprised at who that person turned out to be. I was also surprised at the lengths that person went through to cover their tracks. I thought it was going to be someone else and my mind was blown when that person’s identity was revealed.

There were a few secondary plotlines. One involved Caleb, Brice and Abby’s mother, Helen. Another one was Brice and Naomi’s fertility issues. Another one involved Audrey and Maddy’s father. They were all wonderfully written.

I was mad with the storyline involving Brice and Naomi. Caleb shouldn’t have said ANYTHING. NADA. It wasn’t his place. I would have been so upset if someone else broke news like that to the family.

I also understood why Caleb was so against meeting Helen. I also understood why he did what he did at the end of that storyline. Forgiveness is a hard thing to do.

I will say that the storyline involving Audrey and Maddy’s father was the only one that didn’t make sense. From the beginning to the end, I was left going “He did what? Why turn up now?“.

The sex scenes were fog up my Kindle’s screen hot. I was a little disappointed that the author went the whole “I forgot to wear a condom, hope you are clean” route. I know these are fictional characters but I was mentally screaming at them “Diseases, people. DISEASES. Get tested ASAP.”

The end of My Favorite Cowboy was nail-biting. The bad guy was revealed as was the reasons why that person did what they did. I loved the epilogue. I was left wondering if there was going to be more books in the series. I am hoping so.

I would give My Favorite Cowboy an Adult rating. There is sex (not explicit). There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be the abandonment of a child, death of a parent, death of a spouse, infertility and animal abuse. I would recommend no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread My Favorite Cowboy. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review My Favorite Cowboy.

All opinions stated in this review of My Favorite Cowboy are mine.

After She’s Gone (Hanne Lagerlind-Schon: Book 2) by Camilla Grebe

After She's Gone: A Novel (Hanne Lagerlind-Schon Book 2) by [Grebe, Camilla]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: February 26th, 2019

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Series: Hanne Lagerlind-Schon

The Ice Beneath Her—Book 1

After She’s Gone—Book 2

Where you can find After She’s Gone: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookbub

Synopsis:

In a small backwater town in Sweden, a young boy with a dark secret comes across a diary. As a cold case investigation suddenly becomes eerily current, a police investigator mysteriously disappears. What links these seemingly random events?

As atrocious acts from the past haunt the present and lives are changed forever, some will struggle to remember – while others struggle to forget . . .

The new thriller from the acclaimed author of THE ICE BENEATH HER, described as ‘Scandi-noir at its powerful bleakest’ by the Daily Mail and ‘unsettling, menacing and compulsively written’ by Heat, this is another slice of tense and twisted drama that will chill you to the bone.

My review:

I seem to be reading a lot of police mysteries/thrillers that are set in Finland/Sweden/Iceland lately. I don’t know why I am drawn to them, but I am. It is a combination of fascination with how their laws work and the culture.

The first 30-35% was slow. I don’t like books with slow beginnings. But, in this case, it worked. This plotline needed to be built up. I needed to read about what happened to Malin and Jake. I needed to see what formed them into the people that they were. I also needed to read about what was happening to Hanne through her diary. Once all the backstories were explained, then the ball started rolling. And man did it catch momentum.

Jake was the character I connected with. He had a lot of turmoil over the past year and kept to himself. It was his secret and what he thought about himself because of it that hurt my heart. His character growth came when he started to read Hanne’s diary. He related to Hanne and started to care for her. Not going to give anything away but Jake was the true hero of the book. He came to accept himself for what he was. His actions at the end of the book broke a cold case wide open and released secrets that were long buried.

I didn’t care for Malin. While she was a great detective, I didn’t care for her on a personal level. Her dislike for her fellow team member had no reason. She didn’t like him. I did agree with Manfred that she was racist. She protested way too much throughout that scene. She wasn’t a sympathetic character. Even with everything that was revealed at the end, I couldn’t help but go “Oh well” when it happened.

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I felt awful for Hanne. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be losing my memory. Especially if I had a job where my memory has to be sharp. Hanne’s confusion and sadness came across the pages. I understood why she needed the diary. To be honest, I thought that Peter was drugging her at one point in the book. His secretiveness (or what Hanne perceived to be) was suspicious. I also wondered if she was going to remember everything that happened to her.

I thought that the plotlines were well written. I got involved with the mystery behind who the woman was and how she could be related to the girl found 8 years earlier. The author did a fantastic job of pointing out latent racism. The resentfulness that people had against the refugees could have been pulled from the headlines. Same with the bullying that Jake endured.

I was surprised at the end of the book. I wasn’t expecting the “bad guys” to be who they were. It was a twist that came out of nowhere. I was thinking how Malin and her partner picked up was the killer. Also, the confession was chilling. Talk about no remorse. I was also surprised at how Malin was tied into what happened. Again, a twist that I didn’t see coming.

I would give After She’s Gone an Adult rating. There are sex and sexual references (nothing graphic). There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be imprisonment, refugees, bullying, and homophobia.

I would reread After She’s Gone. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review After She’s Gone.

All opinions stated in this review of After She’s Gone are mine.

Have you read After She’s Gone.

Let me know your thoughts!!

The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick

The Woman in the Lake by [Cornick, Nicola]

4 Stars

Publisher: Harlequin – Graydon House (U.S. & Canada), Graydon House

Date of publication: February 26th, 2019

Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Thriller

Where you can find The Woman in the Lake: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookbub

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of House of Shadows and The Phantom Tree comes a spellbinding tale of jealousy, greed, plotting and revenge—part history, part mystery—for fans of Kate Morton, Susanna Kearsley, and Barbara Erskine

London, 1765

Lady Isabella Gerard, a respectable member of Georgian society, orders her maid to take her new golden gown and destroy it, its shimmering beauty tainted by the actions of her brutal husband the night before.

Three months later, Lord Gerard stands at the shoreline of the lake, looking down at a woman wearing the golden gown. As the body slowly rolls over to reveal her face, it’s clear this was not his intended victim…

250 Years Later…

When a gown she stole from a historic home as a child is mysteriously returned to Fenella Brightwell, it begins to possess her in exactly the same way that it did as a girl. Soon the fragile new life Fen has created for herself away from her abusive ex-husband is threatened at its foundations by the gown’s power over her until she can’t tell what is real and what is imaginary.

As Fen uncovers more about the gown and Isabella’s story, she begins to see the parallels with her own life. When each piece of history is revealed, the gown—and it’s past—seems to possess her more and more, culminating in a dramatic revelation set to destroy her sanity.

My review:

I have mentioned in past posts that I am a fan of historical fiction. I don’t read it often because I am afraid of getting burnt out. I am also a mystery/thriller fan. I like reading a mystery/thriller and trying to guess what is going on. So, when there are those two genres thrown together, I will pick it up. That’s what happened with The Woman in the Lake. I saw it, read the blurb and got it.

The Woman in the Lake was a bit different than some of the other mystery/thriller books that I have read in the past. Those differences actually made me like the book more.

The first difference is that the book went back and forth between 1st person and 3rd person. I usually dislike it when a book does that. The storyline gets lost between the constant back and forth. Not in this book. The author makes it clear when the POV changes. It made that part of reading the book pleasurable for me.

The second difference is that there are 3 separate storylines. Again, something that would drive me nuts. Like the POV changes, the author handled the 3 storylines wonderfully. Lady Gerard and Constance’s storyline was intertwined. The author was able to keep them separate until the pivotal scene towards the end of the book. It was wonderfully written.

I loved the characters. There were layers to them. I loved that when one layer was peeled back, another was revealed. This kept up until the end.

The historical fiction angle of the book was wonderfully written as well. It was set in Gregorian England. The author did a fantastic job of describing everyday life in that era. She also did a fantastic job of portraying how women were treated. Lady Gerard was beaten by Lord Gerard. Everyone turned a blind eye to it. Constance was sold to Lord Gerard and forced to be Lady Gerard’s maid. She was treated like she was invisible. Which was all part of being part of a servant and catering to the nobility.

The mystery/thriller angle had me guessing also. The author did a fantastic job of keeping me on my toes with Fenella’s storyline. Was she going insane? Was she suffering a psychotic breakdown? How come she kept seeing Jake? What was she going to find out about the gown? I couldn’t get enough.

The ending was fantastic. The author did a great job at bringing all 3 storylines together, merging them and ending the book. I was surprised at the twist that the author threw in at the end of the book. I didn’t see that coming!

I would give The Lady in the Lake an Adult rating. There are somewhat graphic sex scenes. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Lady in the Lake. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review TheAll opinions stated in this review of The Lady in the Lake are mine.

Have you read The Lady in the Lake?

Did you like it?

Do you like it when there are 3 POVs/storylines?

Let me know!!

Let’s Talk About Sext (Let’s Talk About Sext: Book 1) by Evie Claire

2 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: February 19th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Let’s Talk About Sext

Let’s Talk About Sext—Book 1

I Wanna Sext You Up—Book 2 (expected publication date: August 20th, 2019)

Where you can find Let’s Talk About Sext: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Her: Unstoppable, workaholic, driven force of nature. Him: The exact opposite of that.

Phebe Stark needs a punching bag. No, on second thought, she needs a donut. No, on third thought, she needs to escape into a dark bar with a strong drink. She’s just been harassed, for the umpteenth time, by the slimy supervisor standing between her and a shattered glass ceiling at her high-pressure Atlanta firm. But then a tall, bearded, sexy lumberjack of a bartender saunters over, and suddenly Phebe knows she doesn’t need gin . . . she needs him.

Brody Cantrell didn’t exactly intend to become a bartender. He planned to help out at his ailing uncle’s bar for a year, then get an advanced degree and rise to the top of his field. Instead, he got a Ph.D. in Real Life from his customers. Brody thinks he’s seen everything—until he meets Phebe Stark. And when he gets a load of her fearless sexting skills, he just has to see what’s under that power suit. Brody’s certain they’ll have a good time or two—nothing serious. Then again, all these steamy messages and breathless trysts have him seriously considering . . . Why not?

My Review:

I hate leaving negative reviews. I do. But that is part of the job of writing a book blog. You need to showcase the bad along with the good.

I did not like Phebe at all. From the minute she appeared outside of Brody’s bar, I got the vibe that she was a ball buster and a snob. My vibe was confirmed in the next chapter when she went from zero to witch on Brody. My dislike of her started around that time also. It grew and grew until the first breakup scene happened. That is where her true colors came out. She was a snob and was all about money. From that point on, I read her scenes a bad taste in my mouth.

I did like Brody but I thought that he was a pushover. I also couldn’t understand why he kept taking Phebe back after everything she put him through. I would have told her to go take a flying leap after what happened at the Boys and Girls Club gala.

Because of my dislike for Phebe, I couldn’t get into the sex scenes. They did nothing for me. If Phebe had been more likable, then the sex scenes would have been fun. But they were colored by her actions throughout the book.

I did like the secondary characters in this book. Phebe’s friends weren’t afraid to call her out and let her know how she was acting. When she told them what she said to Brody during their last fight, their reaction was the same I would have had.

I did appreciate the author trying to reign Phebe in. I did. But I didn’t believe that she changed in that short amount of time. I mean what she said to Brody was awful.

A bartender with Daddy issues

Who says that to someone that they loved? And over something that she had no business being a part of? What Brody did with that land was up to him. Not her. I would have booted her butt out of the door and blocked her number.

Which takes us to the end of the book. I know because its a romance, they are supposed to have a HEA. But in this case, I can’t see it happening. I have a feeling that Phebe and Brody’s relationship will be a quick one. Like a Kardashian marriage. I was left feeling unfulfilled by the ending. Which is something that I rarely feel when reading any type of book.

I would give Let’s Talk About Sext an Adult rating. There are explicit sex and sexual situations. There is language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They are sexual harassment, women’s rights, talk of alcoholism and talk of parental neglect and abuse.

I would not reread Let’s Talk About Sext. I also would not recommend this book to family and friends. I would be open to reading more books by the author.

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Let’s Talk About Sext.

All opinions stated in this review of Let’s Talk About Sext are mine.

Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy: Book 3) by Katherine Arden

The Winter of the Witch: A Novel (Winternight Trilogy Book 3) by [Arden, Katherine]

4.5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: January 8th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Winternight Trilogy

The Bear and the Nightingale—Book 1 (review here)

The Girl in the Tower—Book 2 (review here)

The Winter of the Witch—Book 3

Where you can find The Winter of the Witch: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookbub

Synopsis:

Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen.

Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.

My review:

I had a mix of emotion when I started reading The Winter of the Witch. I was happy because this book was out. I was apprehensive because of the blurb. I was sad because the trilogy was ending. My feelings were validated for The Winter of the Witch. I never get emotional reading a book. But I did for this one.

Vasya was one of my favorite people in The Winter of the Witch. Even when pushed to her limits, she was one of the strongest people in the book. What she endured in this book would have killed lesser people. Instead, it made her a stronger person. It fueled her desire to bind Bear. I was worried about what was going to happen to her after Bear was bound. I was worried that the story was going to flounder.

Morozko is one of my favorite characters to date. He stole every single scene that he was in. The fight scene with Bear, his twin, was one of the best supernatural fight scenes that I have read to date. His scenes with Vasya after that were touching. I mean, he did follow her to summer. If that doesn’t tell anyone how he felt, that I don’t know what would. My only complaint is that he refused to get involved in the war. But I understood why.

Vasya’s rise to power in this book was amazing to read. I knew that something was going to happen when she was thrust into Midnight. I was thrown for a surprise when it was revealed who her grandmother was. I remember shaking my head and saying “Well, that explains a lot”. I liked how Vasya was able to keep her promise to the chyerti. There were points in the book, after her journey to Midnight, where I thought that she was failed. I have never been more happy to be proved wrong!!

There were several deaths in The Winter of the Witch. The death of Solovey, at the beginning of the book, broke my heart. Vasya never recovered from it. There was one death where I cheered. The other notable death was at the end of the book. I was crushed at that person’s death. Freaking crushed. I did cry. No shame here in admitting that.

The end of The Winter of the Witch was an emotional read for me. I am not going to give away spoilers but I was thrilled with how it ended. I was also thrilled with the other thing that happened. That came out of left field for me. I was happy. I might have done a fist pump and say “Yes!!“.

I want to add that the Author’s Note was a welcome surprise. I liked that the author used an actual battle as the backdrop of the one that took place at the end of the book. The Grand Prince and Sasha were actual people. She admitted to tweaking parts of the battle (which I expected). She pointed out something interesting about Russia that ended with the Revolution. Made me go “Hmmmm“. As was her fitting reference about the guardians of Russia.

What I loved was that she included a glossary. She also included a note on Russian names. Both were helpful!!

I would give The Winter of the Witch an Older Teen rating. There are mentions of sex (not graphic). There is no language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread The Winter of the Witch. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Winter of the Witch.

All opinions stated in this review of The Winter of the Witch are mine.

The Reckoning (Children’s House: Book 2) by Yrsa Siguroardottir

3.5 Stars

Date of publication: February 12, 2019

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Series: Children’s House

DNA—Book 1

Throttling—Book 2 (I believe this is also The Reckoning. Google translate didn’t do a great job translating from Icelandic to English on Goodreads)

Absolution—Book 3

Where you can find The Reckoning: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

The Reckoning is the stunning follow-up to The Legacy, which was the start of a thrilling new series that Booklist (starred) recommends for fans of Tana French.

Vaka sits, regretting her choice of coat, on the cold steps of her new school. Her father appears to have forgotten to pick her up, her mother has forgotten to give her this week’s pocket money, and the school is already locked for the day. Grownups, she decides, are useless.

With no way to call home, she resigns herself to waiting on the steps until her father remembers her. When a girl approaches, Vaka recognizes her immediately from class, and from her unusual appearance: two of her fingers are missing. The girl lives at the back of the school, on the other side of a high fence, and Vaka asks to call her father from the girl’s house. That afternoon is the last time anyone sees Vaka.

Detective Huldar and child psychologist Freyja are called in. Soon, they find themselves at the heart of another shocking case.

From the international number one-bestselling author of The Silence of the Sea, winner of the 2015 Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel Yrsa Sigurdardottir returns with the follow-up to The Legacy.

My review:

I have developed a liking for police thrillers. And I have an interest in these type of books set in other countries. So when I saw The Reckoning is set in Iceland, I needed to read it. I am glad that I did. I got insight into how the Icelandic criminal system worked as well as their version of CPS.

The Reckoning is book 2 in the Children’s House series. When I saw that, I was immediately put alert. In my experience, the second book in any series lacks. It is usually a filler between the 1st book and the 3rd book. But not in this case. The Reckoning is a stand-alone book. There were a few references to book 1 but they did not take over this book. That alone made me like the book.

I wasn’t sure if I liked Huldar or not, at first. He didn’t exactly fit into the image I had of an Icelandic police officer. His appearance, for one. Whenever I picture a police officer (especially ones in a foreign country) has clean cut and neat. Huldar was not that. I also had doubts about his professionalism. At one point in the book, he was sleeping with his boss. But, I did come to like him. He was a good police officer who was dedicated to tracking down the threats that were in the time capsule. He treated the suspects (and victims) with respect.

I thought that Freyja was a mess in this book. She was in a codependent relationship with her incarcerated brother. She had suffered a demotion at work because of Huldar. And, to top it off, she was back to working with Huldar, who was also trying to pursue a relationship with him. I also did wonder why she was in the plot during the first half of the book. But, as the book went on and more of the main plotline was revealed, I started to understand why. She also played a pivotal role at the end of the book.

I thought that main plotline was heartbreaking. I loved how the author kept who the killers were until the end of the book. I loved how she tied everything together. I will say that the identity of the killers were surprising. I didn’t see it coming. As for the writer of the threat, I did call that one. But, the reason behind the threat, I didn’t.

What did surprise me in this book was the twist that the author threw in at the end of the book. All I have to say about it is “Whoa“. I did not see that coming. I could understand why those people did what they did.

I gave The Reckoning a 3.5-star rating. This was a fast-moving mystery with an engaging plotline. The main characters were dysfunctional and did take a while to grow on me. The main plotline was heartbreaking. I liked how the author kept who the killers were under wraps until the end of the book. What I also liked was the twist that was thrown in at the end. I didn’t see that coming.

I would give The Reckoning an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is violence. There is language. There are trigger warnings. They would be rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and physical abuse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Reckoning. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Reckoning.

All opinions stated in this review of The Reckoning are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read The Reckoning?

Love it?

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Own to Obey (Myth of Omega: Book 7) by Zoey Ellis

Own To Obey (Myth of Omega Book 7) by [Ellis, Zoey]

4 Stars

Publisher: Quill Ink Books

Date of publication: February 6th, 2019

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Romance

Series: Myth of Omega

Crave to Conquer—Book 1

Crave to Capture—Book 2

Crave to Claim—Book 3

Credence—Book 3.5

Reign to Ruin—Book 4

Reign to Ravage—Book 5

Reign to Rule—Book 6

Own to Obey—Book 7

Own to Obsess—Book 8 (expected publication date: April 25th, 2019)

Where to find Own to Obey: Bookbub| Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

He obtained her – and now she must obey

The Alpha Prince

Brutality and tradition are a way of life for ferocious tribe leader, Kardos. Born different from the other princes, he strives to be the best–to earn his place and prove his worth.

After negotiating for a rare Omega not seen in his Land for over one hundred years, he is keen to present her to the High Chief and gain the recognition he deserves.

It doesn’t matter that she has mesmerizing beauty, or that her manner is too mild for his culture. It doesn’t matter that deep down, a craving burns strong to keep her for himself.

She must accept her fate – and so must he.

The Omega Gift

Sheltered all her life, Omega Shaya found joy in the gardens of her home, the protection of her sister, and the simplicity of her life.

But when the decision to save her sister suddenly puts her in the possession of a fierce tribal warrior, she begins to understand that life can be savage, and painful, and complex.

Alone, and with no way to protect herself, Shaya is determined to overcome the harsh treatment of a culture she doesn’t understand, but when she finds herself attracted to the Alpha’s dominance, she has to find a way to resist him so he doesn’t break her completely; body, mind, and heart.

Own To Obey is the first book in this couple’s story, but the seventh installment of the Myth of Omega series. This is a dark, steamy, Omegaverse romance. Cliff-hanger included. For fans of barbarian Alpha anti-heroes, sweet but savvy Omega heroines, epic fantasy worlds, and captive romances. Discover a magical kind of dark…

Own To Obey includes romance and situations of a dark nature. Some aspects of this story may be sensitive for some readers. For ages 18 and over

My review:

I am going to start off this book with a warning. There are situations in this book that will trigger people. There are situations that will make people upset. If you have triggers, then don’t read the book. If not and you can look past the beginning few chapters, then read it.

Now that is out of the way, let’s get onto the review!!

I enjoyed reading Own to Obey, even though it was the 7th book in the Myth of Omega series. I do not like picking up a book mid-series. 9 out of 10 times, I am left with a “WTH” feeling as I read. I did get a small sense of that when I started reading Own to Obey. I was confused with who the characters were and why Kardos needed an Omega. But, the author did a fantastic job of explaining everything.

I will admit that I wasn’t a fan of the first few sexual scenes of the book. The author did a great job of having Kardos explain why he did what he did. But still. It was hard to read. But, as Shaya’s feelings for Kardos grew, the sex scenes got hotter. By the time Shaya went into her Haze, the sex was steaming hot. I was a little confused about the knotting at first. But it was explained in the book and then it made sense. Survival of the fittest.

I did like Kardos even if I didn’t understand his reasoning sometimes. It drove me nuts. He should have talked to Rozalia sooner. If he did, some of the hurt that Shaya went through could have been avoided.

I felt awful for Shaya. She had been ripped away from everyone she loved and was given to a leader who was determined to make her into one of his people. She tried so hard those first days. As traumatized as she was, she tried. And what did she get? A shinno who’s way of teaching her things involved pain and a hurt shoulder. I would have acted the same way she did if in that situation. Except for the orgy she walked into. I would have noped right out of there instead of staying…lol.

The end of the book was interesting. It showed a lot more of Kardos’s peoples culture. It explained the hierarchy on the island and how an Omega was going to change everything. It explained Kardos’s role in that hierarchy. It showed the depth of feelings that Kardos had for Shaya. Those last scenes said it all. I can’t wait to read book 8!!

I would give Own to Obey an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence There are triggers. I am not going to say what they are because they are spoilers to the plot. I will say that I recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Own to Obey. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher and the author for allowing me to read and review Own to Obey.

All opinions stated in this review of Own to Obey are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Dark Alpha’s Awakening (Reaper: Book 7) by Donna Grant

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Swerve

Date of publication: February 5th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy

Series: Reaper

Dark Alpha’s Claim—Book 1

Dark Alpha’s Embrace—Book 2

Dark Alpha’s Demand—Book 3

Dark Alpha’s Lover—Book 4

Dark Alpha’s Night—Book 5

Dark Alpha’s Hunger—Book 6 (review here)

Dark Alpha’s Awakening—Book 7

Where you can find Dark Alpha’s Awakening: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I’m coming for you…

Serving Death and the Reapers has been my life for centuries. I’ve always put my duty before everything, even my yearning for Death. But now, she’s fading – our foe is bent on destroying her and he will stop at nothing until he does. Death holds the key to our survival. I will do everything in my power to stop her from disappearing. For her, I will ensure we have the best fighting chance. For her…I will cross the divide keeping us apart.

My review:

I was pretty stoked when I saw that there was going to be a book 7 in the Reapers series. I got even more excited when I started reading Dark Alpha’s Awakening. Why was I excited? Because it was Cael and Death (Erith’s) romance. The romance that I was waiting to read. It was also the romance that I didn’t think would happen. So, yes, I was thrilled.

I loved that I got to know more about Erith in this book. Her origins fascinated me. Her stint as Mistress of War and what started it fascinated me. As did why she stopped and formed the Reapers.

Erith brought it in this book. She was determined to find out what Bran was doing/using to drain her life essence. She was also going to end Bran, which was something that should have been done years ago. I loved it.

Cael was awesome in this book also. He was going to do whatever it took to save Erith from Bran. He was a great leader who was loyal to his Reapers. He was willing to do whatever it took to protect his Reapers, their women, and Erith. And oh boy, did he.

I liked how the author kept the sex scenes in Dark Alpha’s Awakening to a minimum. There were 2 or 3 scenes of Erith and Cael having sex. Those sex scenes were beyond hot. There was no build up of sexual tension in this book. But, Cael and Erith had 6 previous books to let it build and man, did it explode.

I enjoyed that the author had this world intertwined with The Dark Kings world. I didn’t quite catch on that they were in the same universe until the last Dark King book, Dragonfire. There was a certain point where Eoghan and Thea were mentioned. At that point, I was like “They are connected, WTH.”. That showed up even more so in this book. Bran, Balladyn, Rhi, Usaeil, and Xaneth were all featured in this book.

What surprised me the most about this book was the author was not afraid to let people die in this book. There were a couple of deaths that took me by surprise. One I was expecting but the other, well it blindsided me. That made me wonder who was going to be the next one to get killed. I have a good idea who but I am going to have to wait to see what happens in the next book.

I am also waiting to see if Erith takes the advice that was given to her and involve the Dragon Kings in the war that is going to happen. Guess I am going to need to keep reading the books to find out.

The end of the book was interesting. While some plotlines were tied up there were other ones that were left open. New plotlines were introduced near the end of the book. I am interested to see where the plotline with Xaneth is going to go. From what was written at the end of the book, it doesn’t look good.

I would give Dark Alpha’s Awakening an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is explicit violence. There are triggers. They are the death of a loved one and murder. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Dark Alpha’s Awakening. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Dark Alpha’s Awakening.

All opinions stated in this review of Dark Alpha’s Awakening are mine.

Sisters of the Fire (Blood and Gold: Book 2) by Kim Wilkins

Sisters of the Fire (Blood and Gold, #2)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: February 5th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Blood and Gold

The Crown of Rowan—Book 0.5

Daughters of the Storm—Book 1 (review here)

Sisters of the Fire—Book 2

Queens of the Sea—-Book 3 (expected publication date: 2019)

Where you can find Sisters of the Fire: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

An action-packed, compelling historical fantasy, from the pen of an award-winning author

The battle-scarred warrior princess Bluebell, heir to her father’s throne, is rumoured to be unkillable. So when she learns of a sword wrought specifically to slay her by the fearsome raven king, Hakon, she sets out on a journey to find it before it finds her. The sword is rumoured to be in the possession of one of her four younger sisters. But which one? Scattered as they are across the kingdoms, she sets out on a journey to find them.

Her four sisters all have their own paths to tread, the gifted magician Ash is on a journey to find a dragon that could determine her destiny. The beautiful, unhappy Rose has left her undermagician Aunt and is speeding to the aid of her daughter, Rowan, who has been lost to her. Ivy, sold into marriage for the sake of an alliance, is now set to become the ruling Duchess of Seacaster with the imminent death of her older and sick husband, and the power-hungry Willow is raising her infant child as a potential trimartyr king and training to be a warrior for the fanatical religious order Maava.

From wild rocky coastline to granite-topped tors, from bustling harbours to echoing ghost towns, from halls of kings to ancient primal woodlands, this story follows five sisters upon whose actions kingdoms will rise and fall.

My review:

Sisters of the Fire takes place 4 years after the ending of Daughters of the Storm. Each of the princesses has gone to different lives. Bluebell hasn’t changed much from the last book. She is charged with protecting the kingdom and she takes that seriously. After a battle that ends with a randerman raider held captive, Bluebell learns something interesting. She learns that one of her sisters has possession of a sword that can kill her. But which one hates her that much that they want her dead? Is it Rose? Who’s actions caused her to be separated from her daughter Rowan and live in isolation with her undermagician aunt. Or is it Ash? Ash has kept herself isolated from her sisters. She fears that the prophecy she saw in a vision will not only kill her but her sisters. Plus, she has a dragon to kill and a vision that she is determined not to come true. How about Ivy? Ivy who was the reason Rose was sent away from her daughter. Ivy, who’s scheming will end up costing her more than she thought it would. And then Willow. Meek, mousey Willow whose outer appearance doesn’t hint at the fanatic inside. Willow, who is willing to do anything to bring Maava to her father’s kingdom. Which sister will betray her?

I enjoyed reading Sisters of the Fire but it did take me a while to get into the book. The book got off to a slow start. The author had to give the background on 6 separate storylines before the book could get off the ground. She had to explain what happened to the sisters and Rowan in those 4 years. I would say that the first 30% of the book crept by for me. But, when Bluebell met with Rose, then I saw the book pick up steam. After that, the book flew. I couldn’t put it down.

If I had to have a sister that I disliked the most, it would have to be Willow. I knew that her mind wasn’t well during the first book. I mean, she heard flipping angels for crying out loud. What she morphed into in this book frightened me. She was what I call an uber fantastic. I felt so bad for her child. Look at what she put the poor thing through. She cut off eyelashes, gave the kid a bath and used a wire brush and refused to let the kid act like a child. But, what shocked me the most, was what Willow did. Even though she was bat poop crazy, I wasn’t expecting her to do what she did. I was saddened and surprised by it.

If I had to have a favorite character, it would have to be Rowan. For a small child, she was very wise. She saw what people were like. She also suffered from Rose not being there. Snowy was a good father figure but it wasn’t enough. She needed her mother. I thought her hearing the singing tree was interesting. Even more interesting was her connection to the First Folk. I wish more time had been spent explaining her time with the First Folk.

I can’t even get into all the storylines. If I did, this review would be way too long. Let me say that I thought they were amazing. I also thought that the author did a fantastic job at merging all them.

There was even a bit of romance in the book. I wasn’t expecting who the characters were (took me by surprise) but I thought it was sweet. I can’t wait to see if that romance will survive the next book.

The end of the book was good. I liked how the author took each sister and left their storyline open. The epilogue fascinated me. It left more questions than anything.

I gave Sisters of the Fire a 4-star rating. This was a good read. It did get off to a slow start but once the book got rolling, it took off. It was well written. I liked (or hated) the characters. The plotlines were intriguing. I did wish that there was more of an explanation of Rowan’s time with the First People. Other than that, I enjoyed the book.

I would give Sisters of the Fire an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is graphic violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be the talk of child abuse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Sisters of the Fire. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Del Ray, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Sisters of Fire.

Category: ARC

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